Tag Archives: Crystal Palace

Young athletes and Olympic medalists alike have joined the campaign to save the sporting facilities at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre (NSC), which are under threat as part of the Greater London Authority’s proposals to redevelop and downsize the NSC. The young athletes are backing the campaign organised by Crystal Palace Sports Partnership (CPSP), formed of a partnership of local sports and leisure clubs, and other NSC stakeholders who were left out of earlier “top down” consultations with GLA’s appointed consultancy CSM Strategic. Find out more about CPSP’s campaign at: http://cpsp2020.com/.

South of England 3000m champion Alex Yee (16) is anxious that he will be left with nowhere to train as the proposals could see the athletics track, stadium, and indoor 100m track go to make way for a new school. Crystal Palace parkrun and triathlon events may also go as the GLA is proposing a new access road from the NSC to Crystal Palace Park Road. Alex, who is the UK’s fastest under17 on record for the non-championship distance of 5km (14 minutes 40 seconds) and regular parkrunner, said: “Crystal Palace Sports Centre is vital to my training as a Triathlete. Several times every week during the winter, spring or summer, I swim in the pool, ride on the perimeter road and run on the track. “Crystal Palace was where I was first introduced to Triathlon when I took part in a Kids of Steel event when I was eight. I then joined Crystal Palace Triathletes as soon as they started a junior section and have been training there every week ever since. “I have won many races at Crystal Palace including the Crystal Palace Triathlon, London Youth Games Aquathlon and SEAA 3,000m. Now that I am in the Triathlon England Talent Squad it is essential that I have access to a facility where I can safely train for all three Triathlon disciplines.”

Three meter springboard medallist Annabel Triggs (13), from Kenley, is also worried that the GLA’s proposals will leave her with nowhere to train because there is no provision for a dry gym, and the proposal to put in a moving floor in the diving pool would make the higher boards unusable. She is a member of the Crystal Palace Diving Club, one of the most successful clubs competing in this country, which regularly produces national champions and sees its divers progress to Great Britain and World Series level. Annabel is already National Age Group Bronze medallist on the three metre springboard and competed in Rome in July and in Lund, Sweden, in November.She said: “The 2012 London Olympics were fantastic and DID inspire me and many of my generation, but two years later, this development threatens to take away the facilities young athletes have available in South London, and close successful and long standing sports clubs. Is that really the Olympic legacy for us?”

The CPSP, under chairman John Powell MBE, lobbied for and won an extension to the GLA consultation on the future of the NSC. Its petition (http://tinyurl.com/cpsp-petition) has also gained the support of the NSC’s sporting alumni. The Olympic 400-metre gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu MBE said: “It’s a shame that a pivotal, memorable and hugely historical icon of British athletics is on the brink of being taken away. Grassroots to champions, that is Crystal Palace athletics track.” Donna Fraser, current President of South of England Athletics Association and Olympic 400m finalist at the Sydney Olympics, said: “I am absolutely appalled to hear the future plans for Crystal Palace NSC. This venue has been a key training and competition venue for many sports for many years. Those who make such proposals have no idea of what damaging impact this could have for the community and future Olympians – they need to speak to the coaches, athletes and parents to understand the need for Crystal Palace and take their blinkers off”.

CPSP chairman John Powell said: “The mix of grassroots, community and sporting activities intermixed with elite training sets the NSC apart from other venues. The loss of this amazing regional sports centre would be a devastating loss, not just for the local community, but also for sports access for South London and the South East.” CPSP is calling on local people to support the campaign by writing to their councillor and Assembly members to keep these invaluable sporting facilities for Crystal Palace and the local community.

Plans are moving ahead to rebuild a replica of the Crystal Palace in Crystal Palace Park. Jane Pickard was at the consultation event on Saturday 1st March in the park. Jane said “If these ambitious plans are realised they will have a major impact on residents of West Norwood. The extra traffic will have to be carefully managed.”

There is a chance to see the ambitious plans to rebuild Crystal Palace. Drop in between 11am and 5pm to see the plans for rebuilding Crystal Palace at The Lodge inside the park -north of the sports centre. History talks at 12.30pm ad 2.30pm. (March consultation flyer)

Developers are working on plans to rebuild Crystal Palace on the old site at the north end of Crystal Palace Park. The plans include a £100m refurbishment of the sports centre in the park. Developers are now choosing architects to design the new building and are aiming for a planning application in about a years time.

Local people are giving a cautious welcome to the plans. 200 people visited the first public exhbition on Westow St on 10th December. and Bromley council is working with the developers to set up more community consultation events.

The next two events will be 11am to 5pm on Saturday 1st February at Anerley Town Hall, Anerley Road SE20 8BD ( opposite Anerley train station ) and 11am to 5pm on Saturday 1st March at the Lodge SE19 2BB in the park itself – just north of the sports centre .

For more details and to sign up for email updates on this important project see :

Tuesday 10th December is the first time the public are to be consulted on the plans to rebuild the Crystal Palace on its old site and refurbish Crystal Palace Sports Centre. Drop in to the family friendly Living Waters Satisfies Cafe (LWS cafe ) 46 Westow Street SE19 3AF between 2pm and 8pm.

ZhongRong Group are the developers working with Bromley Council who are responsible for the park. For details of the scheme and to sign up for email updates see: http://www.thelondoncrystalpalace.com/

The 7th Crystal Palace Overground Festival is recruiting for volunteers to help out at this year’s must-go-to event which kicks-off with a wide-range of fringe events at venues around Crystal Palace on June 27th and 28th, with the main festival hubs at Westow Park on Saturday June 29th and the Upper Norwood Triangle on Sunday June 30th.

“We’re looking for passionate, fun-loving volunteers, aged 18 and over to ensure this year’s community arts festival is bigger and better then ever before,” said Cathy Henchion from the volunteer recruitment team.

Volunteer roles include stewarding around the main outdoor stage, supervising the kids’ zone and meeting & greeting visitors. All volunteers will receive full training, and a certificate of participation will be awarded at the end.Other benefits include meeting and socialising with a great bunch of people, and the knowledge that they are contributing to a fantastic festival that showcases the very best that the Crystal Palace community has to offer.

Festival director, Noreen Meehan says “Volunteering at the festival is a wonderful way for the whole community to come together, it offers an engaging and fun way to give something back to the community.Just 4 hours of your time will help ensure that this year’s event is the best one yet.”